Board Meets to Discuss Ultimatum on Launching of United Jewish Appeal

March 1, 1949

NEW YORK (Feb. 28)

A full meeting of the Board of Directors of the ##ted Palestine Appeal tonight met to consider the question of whether to accept the decisions reached by the executive of the Jewish Agency with regard to the direction of the 1949 campaign of the United Jewish Appeal, of which the U.P.A. is one of the major beneficiary agencies.

The meeting was faced with the dilemma of either accepting the conditions laid down by the Agency executive, or of having the Agency replace the United Palestine Appeal in a reconstituted United Jewish Appeal, which would be launched immediately under a joint agreement reached, yesterday by leaders of the Agency, Joint Distribution Committee, Jewish National Fund and United Service for New Americans.

(At the time the Bulletin went to press, the meeting, held in camera, was ##ill in session. However, it was predicted that the majority of the U.P.A. board ##uld vote in favor of accepting the Feb. 16 decision of the Agency executive, with the members of the Zionist Organization of America abstaining. This would bring Henry Morgenthau, Jr., to the helm of the United Jewish Appeal, with Henry Montor chosen by him as top executive vice-chairmen.)

LOCKER, GRANOVSKY, WARBURG, ROSENBERG ISSUE STATEMENTS

The decision to proceed at once with the reconstitution of the U.J,A. and the launching of the 1949 drive was taken by Berl Locker, on behalf of the Agency Executive, Dr. Abraham Granovsky, on behalf of the J.N.F., Edward M.M. Warburg, for the J.D.C., of which he is chairman, and Edwin Rosenberg, president of U.S.N.A.

In an announcement of the action taken, locker said:

“The Palestine Foundation Fund and Jewish national Fund are the two principal Israeli beneficiaries of the United Jewish Appeal campaign. Acting under the authority vested in it, the executive of the Jewish Agency, for the Keren Hayseed, invited the Joint Distribution Committee to join with it in proceeding at once to the maximum mobilization of American Jewish resources. we have taken this action because the fate of hundreds of thousands of people depends on our quick and effective action. We would have been derelict in our duty had we permitted the campaign to be delayed one day further.

“We express the hope that the United Palestine Appeal will take ouch action as will enable it to take its proper place in the United Jewish Appeal. We are confident that all American Jews, recognizing that the needs of the immigrants are paramount, will rededicate themselves to the United Jewish Appeal so that the goal of $250,000,000 may be reached. Echoing the plea of the President of the State of Israel, we call upon all American Jews to sink their differences and to unite for common action in a great hour.”

Speaking for the Jewish national Fund, Dr. Abraham Granovsky said:

“The flow of a record immigration into Israel in this historic hour in the development of the State of Israel places a grave responsibility primarily on the Jews of the United States, without whose financial assistance the hopes and dreams of the homeless Jews of Europe cannot be realized. A first condition to the settlement of 250,000 Jews in Israel in 1949 is the availability of land on which to place and house the newcomers. Therefore, the twin programs of land purchase end development, reception and settlement, are indispensable to the realization of the unparalleled opportunities resulting from the emergence of an independent and free State of Israel. ### needs of the Jewish national Fund in this vital program can be net effectively ### if American Jews respond in a spirit of sacrifice to the United Jewish Appeal in 1949.

In commenting on the action, Warburg said:

“The Joint Distribution Committee has an especially grave task in 1949. It ### assumed the major responsibility of transporting hundreds of thousands of Jews in### Israel from the DP camps, from other European centers, from North Africa and else#### while simultaneously aiding emigration of Jews elsewhere including the United ####. In addition, the Joint Distribution Committee is continuing its historic role helping those Jews in the European land where they choose to stay and to rebuild their lives.

“The Joint Distribution Committee, in its thirty-four years of history as an American organization aiding Jews overseas, has always had to think first and foremost of the plight of the beneficiaries when it must serve. We feel that all American ###ews, in their communities and as individuals, will appreciate that the United Jewish appeal is one area in which we must unite for constructive action on behalf of our people. We cannot afford the luxury of continued discussions while the lives of human beings are at stake. It is for that reason that the Joint Distribution Committee has joined in giving the signal to the Jewish communities to proceed forthwith with their campaigns on behalf of the United Jewish Appeal, The need for statesmanship, for generosity, for good will toward the United Jewish Appeal will be understood and will be fulfilled.” In joining in the agreement, Rosenberg said:

“The year 1949 will be a crucial year in the tasks carried on in Israel, in Europe and in the United States for the solution of the problem of the homelessness of large masses of Jews overseas. In the case of the United Service for New Americans, ### face greater opportunities and responsibilities this year for the adjustment of refugees coming to the United States. The prospect of a liberalization of the DP Act continues to place before us the obligation to see that no refugee entering this country shall become a public charge. We continue to give that assurance to our government on the basis of the continued generous support from the Jews of the United States through the United Jewish Appeal.

“In the interest of the mass settlement program in Israel, the great emigration and rehabilitation program of the Joint Distribution Committee and the increased program for newcomers to the United States, I solemnly urge the mobilization of the most intensive united effort on the port of American Jewry to assure the success of the $250,000,000 campaign of the United Jewish Appeal this year.”